JACKSON, MI – Police are investigating the death of a 36-year-old Mount Pleasant man found unresponsive early Sunday in the Jackson County Jail on Wesley Street.

When corrections staff checked him shortly before 2 a.m. April 27, Teddy Lee House was on the floor of his first-floor, single cell, Jackson County Undersheriff Chris Kuhl said Tuesday. A deputy or deputies immediately began CPR, and Jackson Community Ambulance personnel and city firefighters were called to the facility, but efforts to revive him were unsuccessful.

What caused House’s death is not clear, Kuhl said. A pathologist conducted an autopsy and found no trauma to the body. A final determination is pending, the undersheriff said.

When House initially came to the jail, he did not report any medical conditions or medication, Kuhl said. “He did not acknowledge any problems.”

Kuhl said he was pepper sprayed the day of his death, but he did not release any further details. The circumstances remain under investigation and authorities do not know what happened or whether the chemical spray contributed to House's death, Michigan State Police Trooper Toby Baker said.

State Police troopers are handling the death inquiry while sheriff's officials conduct an internal investigation.

Authorities are trying to obtain, in addition to other information, House's medical history, Baker said.

Kuhl expected it would take some time for the case to be resolved.

House had been in jail since April 21. Charged with attempted motor vehicle theft, a felony, and operating with the presence of drugs, a misdemeanor, he did not appear in court as ordered for multiple hearings.

On March 26, Circuit Judge John McBain signed a bench warrant and order revoking his release and forfeiting his bond, according to court records.

Sheriff’s deputies picked him up earlier this month from the jail in Isabella County in mid-Michigan.

The sheriff’s office sent him to their lower security, more open facility on Chanter Road in Blackman Township. Staff there noted he was acting “peculiar,” Kuhl said. His behavior was erratic. He was talking to the toilet, wrapping his hands around it and splashing in the water, the undersheriff said.

He was placed in isolation, but he continued to act oddly and late last week, he returned to the downtown Jackson facility for close supervision, Kuhl said.

The jail tried to get him mental health assistance, but he was uncooperative and would not participate, Kuhl said.

A sheriff’s deputy first arrested House Jan. 2 in Summit Township. He tried to take a front-end loader from Williams Welding, 2445 Brooklyn Road, and was found to have THC, the active ingredient in marijuana, in his system, according to a police report.

House told the company owner and an employee, who approached him after he climbed into the loader, he was trying to go to Detroit. They saw him jump from the loader and run toward S. Meridian Road via railroad tracks, according to the report, and the deputy spotted and stopped him on S. Meridian Road.

Earlier, House had driven his 2000 Pontiac Grand Prix into a swamp area along Brooklyn Road, a witness said. The witness tried to talk to House, but House got out of the vehicle and started to run. He soon returned, grabbed his coat and had a discussion with the witness, who said he was “off his chain.” House then ran toward the welding company, the witness said.

At the time of his arrest, he was “exhibiting unusual behavior,” Deputy Todd Long reported. He was “very intense” and sweating profusely despite the frigid weather. His body was rigid and he appeared to be getting ready for a fight, according to the deputy.

He told Long he was traveling from Mount Pleasant to Detroit because a female he knows and her children were in danger.

Kuhl said House stayed in jail from Jan. 2 to Jan. 18. He posted a bond, but did not go to his arraignment Jan. 29, according to court records, and returned to jail Jan. 31.

On Feb. 12, he was given a personal recognizance bond and waived his preliminary examination in district court. He again left the jail.

McBain issued the bench warrant for his arrest after he failed to go to a pretrial hearing on March 25.

After his most recent arrest, Circuit Judge Thomas Wilson ordered him held without bond on April 21.

His jury trial in the felony case was scheduled for June, but court records indicate he was to plead guilty to a lesser charge.